Ewing Township was just awarded a $10,000 grant from Sustainable Jersey through their small grants program.  The grant, funded by PSE&G, will fund a professional strategic planning team to facilitate the group and citizens of Ewing to create a multi-year vision and action plan for sustainability.  Ewing Green Team leadership worked with Township officials through a detailed selection process to choose a facilitating team from among 3 candidates.   MaGa Consulting, LLC from Cherry Hill was ultimately chosen.  Lori Braunstein and Natalie Barney of MaGa have experience organizing several New Jersey municipalities and were instrumental to Cherry Hill’s success in implementing an extensive sustainability plan.

The process begins now and will continue throughout 2014.   There will be two or three visioning sessions, for which invited participants from a broad range of constituencies, neighborhoods and municipal, civic and business leadership will lend their time and talent to create a vision and plan.  This strategic planning is the first step toward growing the organization and the community’s interest and coordinated effort to be able to make a strategic, positive impact for the future.  “We want to engage the citizens of Ewing in creating a vision for a very livable, prosperous Ewing that sustains itself for future generations” said Joanne Mullowney, communications officer for the Green Team.

While the vision for Ewing will be unique, actions will likely include aspects of the Sustainable Jersey framework.  Currently, the Green Team works in several sustainability areas, often in conjunction with partners such as the Ewing Environmental Commission and TCNJ.  These areas include community gardening and local food; municipal, business and home energy improvements; walking, biking and trails; recycling through the Shred Day events, and others.  In fall 2013, Ewing obtained Bronze certification and is endeavoring to achieve points for actions sufficient to achieve the Silver certification in the future.